Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, an ace fighter and experienced test pilot, appointed IAF vice chief

NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, an ace fighter and a highly experienced test pilot, has been appointed the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He will assume his new charge on July 1.

Currently, the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, the officer has played a key role in enhancing the jointness in the defence forces as they move towards theaterisation. Air Marshal Dixit, who played a key role in modernisation of the force, has also been instrumental in promoting indigenous fighter projects in the IAF during his different stints in the Air Headquarters.

His appointment brings a wealth of operational and testing expertise to the top leadership of the IAF.

He is a qualified flying instructor and an experimental test pilot with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on over 20 types of aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG-21 & Jaguar. Air Marshal Dixit commanded a Mirage 2000 Squadron, a frontline fighter base in the western sector, as well as a premier fighter training base. He participated in Operation Safed Sagar and Rakshak.

Earlier, he was also Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command and was Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command.

As a test pilot and later Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, Bangalore, he was involved in several indigenous upgrades and development programmes, including the avionics upgrades for Jaguar & MiG-27.

As director of Air Staff Requirements, he played a key role in the planning and conduct of the medium multi-role combat aircraft trials.

Air Marshal was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on Dec 6, 1986. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh) and National Defence College, New Delhi.